Girlfriend’s charity tribute after bike death

The girlfriend of a Doncaster motorcyclist killed in an accident on a notorious stretch of road hopes to raise thousands of pounds in his memory.

Samantha Watling, of Elm Green Lane, Conisbrough, will complete a series of runs in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance in memory of 25-year-old Alex Page, who lost his life when his Kawasaki came off the road on the A630 Sheffield Road in Conisbrough.

Samantha, also 25, said: “The Yorkshire Air Ambulance battled to save Alex for half an hour at the scene so I wanted to do something to say thank you. I want to turn something tragic into something positive.

“I also want to thank the police and the paramedics who were at the scene too, they have been very supportive.”

Alex, a keen motorbiker, crashed just after 5pm on Saturday, June 27 on the 60mph single carriageway north of Archers Way. Samantha, his girlfriend of three and a half years, said: “To a lot of people he was a bit of a joker, a fun loving guy. He was popular, he got on with anyone.

“As a family member, he was kind and caring. He loved his family.

“As a partner he was the best. He was loving and caring and would do anything for me. He was definitely the mature one. There was never a dull moment with Alex, we were always having fun and laughing. He was also really hard working. He was a highly qualified railway engineer. He had brains as well as personality.”

Samantha, a primary school teacher, has decided to complete four 10K runs and a half marathon this month in Alex’s memory, starting with a 10K today and ending with the half marathon on August 30. All the money she raises will go to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

She said: “One of the things I really miss about Alex is how supportive he was. He would say I was mad sometimes for going on runs, but he was always proud of me. He would be a bit flabbergasted that I was doing this for him, but he would have wanted me to raise as much money as possible. I want to make him proud.

“I was shocked to find the Air Ambulance aren’t government funded and rely on the generosity of the public to keep going. They need £12,000 a day, and it’s vital that they keep going. It’s really hit home with me that you never know when you may need the Air Ambulance, it’s really important. There are lots of people here today who wouldn’t be without them.”

Samantha will be joined on the runs by her father, Pete Watling, 59.

She said: “I loved Alex dearly, I had three and a half happy years with him and want his legacy to live on by raising as much as I can for this outstanding charity.”

Samantha has already raised more than £2,000.

n To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/samantha-watling

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